Honoring History & Embracing the Future: The Wabash Carnegie Public Library

By: Rachel Castle

The Wabash Carnegie Public Library, located at 188 West Hill Street, has served the community for over a century, consistently honoring its history while exploring new ways to encourage lifelong exploration and learning.

A Historical Background

Records indicate a library in Wabash as far back as 1848, but the current building was constructed in 1903. Part of the extensive network of Carnegie libraries, it was funded in part by philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, who believed in the power of free libraries and financed the construction of over 1,600 nationwide. The original library building was approximately 5,000 square feet and housed about 3,000 books. Much of the original Neo-Classical architectural design still exists in the Wabash Carnegie Public Library.

2024 Renovation and Expansion

In March 2023, the library underwent its first significant expansion in 50 years. The goal was to modernize its facilities while preserving its history and enhancing the library’s impact in the Wabash community. Key needs included study rooms, programming areas, and expanded space for the library’s over 100,000 materials.

The expansion includes:

• Two new program rooms for activities for children, teens, and adults.
• Study rooms accommodating individuals and groups of varying sizes.
• A dedicated Local History room for genealogical research, featuring rare books and microfilm newspaper archives.
• Increased open seating space for casual gatherings.

Teens and young adults now have a designated area with comfortable seating for reading and studying. The renovated children’s area includes a program room for story times, book parties, and other events for elementary-aged kids, along with games and activities to engage early readers.

Preservation of Historical Elements

Repairing and restoring the historical elements of the original 1903 building was essential to the library’s overall design. A new roof and waterproofing measures addressed ongoing issues related to the building’s foundation of Indiana limestone. Great care was taken to clean and replicate the original stonework in the expanded portion of the building.

The Wabash Carnegie Public Library strives to be an open gateway to information and ideas, offering a variety of creative spaces for lifelong exploration and learning. As the library connects, engages, and inspires the community, Wabash continues to shine brighter.